IAA was contacted to design the building envelope and the administration portion of the plant for the steam generating plant for campus heating purposes.  There was considerable pressure from neighboring businesses and homes for the steam generating plant not to have an industrial look, so three sides of the building have a more traditional look, u...

IAA was contacted to design the building envelope and the administration portion of the plant for the steam generating plant for campus heating purposes.  There was considerable pressure from neighboring businesses and homes for the steam generating plant not to have an industrial look, so three sides of the building have a more traditional look, utilizing brick and cast stone as well as arched window elevations.  The design documentation of this project was required to be issued in separate phases, in order to maintain the construction schedule.

The 22,700 SF building contains two biomass boilers and two back-up natural gas/#2 fuel oil boilers. This provides capacity to serve 100% of the campus steam load on the biomass boilers. The biomass boilers are permitted to burn 2” virgin hardwood chips initially. Once the plant is operational, EIU plans to test burn other fuels for additional permits.  The plant also contains a back-pressure steam turbine to provide co-generation of the steam load from one of the biomass boilers.  Other functional spaces within the plant include a control room with high visibility of the plant floor, public meeting room / classroom that also maintains sitelines onto the plant floor, staff offices, and employee locker room and break room separate from the public plant areas.  The plant is required to remain operational for 24 hours per day, requiring high security at all facility entrances.

The plant is currently pursuing LEED Gold certification so recycled and low-VOC materials were used wherever possible.  The theme of sustainable construction is carried throughout the building interior, especially in the conference room where student groups will learn about the plant and its processes.  Finishes throughout include concrete floors, rapidly renewable ceiling tiles, and recycled counter tops and casework.  Large, energy efficient windows allow light deep into the plant, reducing the amount of artificial light required to illuminate the building during the day.